I purchased this pot in January of 2017. It makes terrific coffee. I use regular paper filters to line the basket. That prevents any grinds from getting through. I simply use my fingers to tear a small slit in the center of the filter and slip it over the center stem. It works great and is so simple to do.

About a year ago, I placed the percolator on the drying rack after I washed it. I tried to put too many items in the rack that day and managed to dislodge the percolator. It fell off the counter onto our porcelain tile floor. It landed upside down before bouncing around a bit. The top of the canister was dented from the fall and was no longer quite round. I was sure that the whole percolator was destroyed, but decided to give it a try anyway. It's a bit more difficult to get the lid on, but once in place it stays snug. Believe it or not, it still percolates perfectly! I am purchasing a new one because my husband has poor dexterity in his hands and is not able to get the lid on and off like I can. I want him to be able to enjoy his coffee even when I'm not there to make it for him. But, I'll keep the old one and will use it whenever I am home. I figure it has several good years (or another fall or two) before I will really need that backup percolator.

Years ago, Presto was one of the best coffee makers available. I purchased this item based on that fact. Sadly, this item is a waste of money due to the aluminum nut at the bottom of the inner assembly. As a mechanical engineer, I can assure you that aluminum and stainless steel don't belong together in the presence of boiling water. As such, the aluminum will corrode. This is the problem with this coffee maker. The aluminum nut corrodes where it mates with the stainless steel pipe and the suction which pulls the boiling water up the pipe fails. You get hot water, but no coffee. I am returning this defective unit.

This was my first coffee percolator (first bought in December 2012) And it worked great until it died in December of 2016. The reason I purchased this unit again was because of the original reviews about no aluminum inside the tub. Second one arrived with an aluminum nut at the bottom of the tub, did not like that but had no choice and I decided to run with it. Now it's making loud noises while keeping the coffee hot so from past experience I decided to buy another unit (not this brand) as a back up just in case this one failed. After reading the reviews on this unit again I noticed more and more people are concerned with the aluminum as I was and still am. Just bought a Hamilton Beach 40616 percolator that is supposed to be 100% stainless steel on the inside from Amazon. If Presto fixes these units and makes them last maybe 5 years or so and gets rid of the aluminum inside the tub I will purchase them again but for now I'm out.

We've been using Keurig coffee makers for several years and had just spent $150 on their latest model. But it was finicky and could be quite messy as we liked a special coffee that wasn't available in k-cups so we had to fill the reusable plastic cups when we wanted a cup of coffee. It was just too much of an ordeal. So we were in search of another great coffeemaker. After reading the reviews we chose this beautiful stainless steel pot. To say we are pleased is a huge understatement...we're thrilled. It's a pleasure to wake up every morning to wonderful strong and delicious coffee. We have it on a timer set to brew at 6:00 am and shut off at 9:00 am. So pretty to look at...no mess anywhere...piping hot and delicious coffee every single time. We've hit the jackpot because we so very picky about our coffee...we'll never brew our coffee any other way. We've tried them all...drip, French Press, Keurig ... nothing beats this pot...awesome!

My family has owned this percolator for 6 years now, purchased right here on Amazon in 2010, and I'm about to buy another one for work.

This pot has consistently delivered the best tasting coffee - better than all restaurants we frequent, better than friends and family's coffee... just awesomely, amazingly good. I've had a couple of minor maintenance issues over the years (see below) but they were super easily overcome, and in general this has been a super-reliable and very inexpensive appliance. Honestly, this has to have been one of my most favorite appliance purchases ever. And all for less than $40. Take THAT, you overpriced, overly featured drip machines that make lousy coffee!! ;-)

*TIPS*

With this, and any other stainless percolator, there are some basic guidelines to follow that aren't necessarily in the manual:

1. DO NOT use a paper filter. Ever. Use the metal basket ONLY. The holes are tiny enough to allow the coffee through, but to keep 99.9% of the gains in. Using the metal basket without a paper filter allows the flavor oils that naturally exist in the coffee bean to STAY in the coffee and contribute to its amazing and full flavor. If you use a paper filter, you'll lose the oils and get an "over-extracted" flavor that's more bitter than bold... so don't use a paper filter, follow the instructions, and you're GOLDEN - perfect coffee every time. Yes, you'll get a couple of grains in the last cup without a paper filter... whoop-de-do, just don't drink the very last few drops of the very last cup - problem solved. ;)

2. Cleaning the pot: Make sure it's clear of any build-up, but don't scrub the interior... allow the percolator to become seasoned. It's hot enough to prevent any bacterial issues, just like a wok or a cookie sheet. So let that puppy get seasoned, it's perfectly safe AND more delicious over time! The key place for build up is the receiving "hole" at the bottom of the pot for the metal tube. That can build up coffee debris pretty quick, and if you don't clear it, it will keep the metal tube from seating properly and you won't be able to brew properly, if at all. You only need to scrape away the excess with a fingernail, and you're good to go. The outside of the pot, however, feel free to scrub and make super shiny. It's really a nice looking piece when cleaned!

3. Cleaning the basket: The basket's tiny holes can get plugged up over a month or so of daily use. There's two ways to deal with this: chemically (cleaners) or with a wire brush. I prefer the wire brush route and just tap the bottom of the basket, which instantly clears the holes and allows you to keep the years of perfect seasoning intact. Wire brush FTW.

4. When assembling the pot in order to brew coffee, if you don't get the metal tube lined up with the receiving hole in the bottom of the pot, you'll get a misfire where you'll get a weak pot of coffee (at best), if not a mere pot of hot water. To ensure this doesn't happen, once the metal tube is aligned with the receiving hole, twist it left and right like you're trying to gently screw it in. It doesn't actually screw in... the twisting movement simply forces it to pop into the hole if it isn't in the hole already. Best. Trick. Ever.

5. Don't overfill the basket with coffee - the closer you are to the top of the tube, the more likely to get grains in the bottom of the pot. However, don't underfill or you'll get weak coffee. Follow the instructions, and you should be fine.

6. It's OK to let the coffee sit plugged in and ready to go for a long time as a FULL pot. If you're going to be leaving less than half a pot for more than an hour, UNPLUG IT, the coffee can burn if it sits long enough, just like ANY coffee pot. However, I've let a full pot sit for 4 or 5 hours, plugged in, and it's still not bad at all. Obviously, the fresher the better - just don't let it sit plugged in with very little coffee left, or your coffee will be understandably less delicious than you were expecting.

7. MAINTENANCE: I've had to replace the wire/plug once because using it thousands of times caused it to develop a minor short. Any plug/wire off the shelf that fits will do... it's just a straight up, no frills, 2 prong AC cable. Easy-peasy. I've also seen the screws holding on the bottom decay over time as they're not made of rust-resistant metal, sadly. However, a quick trip to your local hardware store will get you brand new ones; just bring the old ones with and ask the hardware guy for help. I replaced the bottom screws about 2 years ago when they got too rusty, so I got 4 years out of mine. You might be able to forestall the rusty screws issue by covering the holes with hot glue to prevent water from getting up in there when you wash the outside. That'd probably work perfectly, but I haven't actually tried it.

Finally, stop reading reviews, buy this pot, and enjoy your awesome coffee!!!